Acts 25

1 Festus, having entered on his duties as governor of the province, two days later went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem.

Festus therefore, being come into the eparchy, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.

2 The High Priests and the leading men among the Jews immediately made representations to him against Paul, and begged him--

And the chief priests and the chief of the Jews laid informations before him against Paul, and besought him,

3 asking it as a favour, to Paul's prejudice--to have him brought to Jerusalem. They were planning an ambush to kill him on the way.

asking as a grace against him that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying people in wait to kill him on the way.

4 Festus, however, replied that Paul was in custody in Caesarea, and that he was himself going there very soon.

Festus therefore answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to set out shortly.

5 "Therefore let those of you," he said, "who can come, go down with me, and impeach the man, if there is anything amiss in him."

Let therefore the persons of authority among you, says he, going down too, if there be anything in this man, accuse him.

6 After a stay of eight or ten days in Jerusalem--not more--he went down to Caesarea; and the next day, taking his seat on the tribunal, he ordered Paul to be brought in.

And having remained among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea; and on the next day, having sat down on the judgment-seat, commanded Paul to be brought.

7 Upon Paul's arrival, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood round him, and brought many grave charges against him which they were unable to substantiate.

And when he was come, the Jews who were come down from Jerusalem stood round, bringing many and grievous charges which they were not able to prove:

8 But, in reply, Paul said, "Neither against the Jewish Law, nor against the Temple, nor against Caesar, have I committed any offence whatever."

Paul answering for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I offended [in] anything.

9 Then Festus, being anxious to gratify the Jews, asked Paul, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem, and there stand your trial before me on these charges?"

But Festus, desirous of obliging the Jews, to acquire their favour, answering Paul, said, Art thou willing to go up to Jerusalem, there to be judged before me concerning these things?

10 "I am standing before Caesar's tribunal," replied Paul, "where alone I ought to be tried. The Jews have no real ground of complaint against me, as in fact you yourself are beginning to see more clearly.

But Paul said, I am standing before the judgment-seat of Caesar, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou also very well knowest.

11 If, however, I have done wrong and have committed any offence for which I deserve to die, I do not ask to be excused that penalty. But if there is no truth in what these men allege against me, no one has the right to give me up to them as a favour. I appeal to Caesar."

If then I have done any wrong and committed anything worthy of death, I do not deprecate dying; but if there is nothing of those things of which they accuse me, no man can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.

12 Then, after conferring with the Council, Festus replied, "To Caesar you have appealed: to Caesar you shall go."

Then Festus, having conferred with the council, answered, Thou hast appealed to Caesar. To Caesar shalt thou go.

13 A short time after this, Agrippa the king and Bernice came to Caesarea to pay a complimentary visit to Festus;

And when certain days had elapsed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to salute Festus.

14 and, during their rather long stay, Festus laid Paul's case before the king. "There is a man here," he said, "whom Felix left a prisoner,

And when they had spent many days there, Festus laid before the king the matters relating to Paul, saying, There is a certain man left prisoner by Felix,

15 about whom, when I went to Jerusalem, the High Priests and the Elders of the Jews made representations to me, begging that sentence might be pronounced against him.

concerning whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid informations, requiring judgment against him:

16 My reply was that it is not the custom among the Romans to give up any one for punishment before the accused has had his accusers face to face, and has had an opportunity of defending himself against the charge which has been brought against him.

to whom I answered, It is not [the] custom of the Romans to give up any man before that the accused have the accusers face to face, and he have got opportunity of defence touching the charge.

17 "When, therefore, a number of them came here, the next day I took my seat on the tribunal, without any loss of time, and ordered the man to be brought in.

When therefore they had come together here, without putting it off, I sat the next day on the judgment-seat and commanded the man to be brought:

18 But, when his accusers stood up, they did not charge him with the misdemeanours of which I had been suspecting him.

concerning whom the accusers, standing up, brought no such accusation of guilt as I supposed;

19 But they quarrelled with him about certain matters connected with their own religion, and about one Jesus who had died, but--so Paul persistently maintained--is now alive.

but had against him certain questions of their own system of worship, and concerning a certain Jesus who is dead, whom Paul affirmed to be living.

20 I was at a loss how to investigate such questions, and asked Paul whether he would care to go to Jerusalem and there stand his trial on these matters.

And as I myself was at a loss as to an inquiry into these things, I said, Was he willing to go to Jerusalem and there to be judged concerning these things?

21 But when Paul appealed to have his case kept for the Emperor's decision, I ordered him to be kept in prison until I could send him up to Caesar."

But Paul having appealed to be kept for the cognisance of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I shall send him to Caesar.

22 "I should like to hear the man myself," said Agrippa. "to-morrow," replied Festus, "you shall." Accordingly, the next day, Agrippa and Bernice came in state

And Agrippa [said] to Festus, I myself also would desire to hear the man. To-morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.

23 and took their seats in the Judgement Hall, attended by the Tribunes and the men of high rank in the city; and, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in.

On the morrow therefore, Agrippa being come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and having entered into the hall of audience, with the chiliarchs and the men of distinction of the city, and Festus having given command, Paul was brought.

24 Then Festus said, "King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see here the man about whom the whole nation of the Jews made suit to me, both in Jerusalem and here, crying out that he ought not to live any longer.

And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us, ye see this person, concerning whom all the multitude of the Jews applied to me both in Jerusalem and here, crying out against [him] that he ought not to live any longer.

25 I could not discover that he had done anything for which he deserved to die; but as he has himself appealed to the Emperor, I have decided to send him to Rome.

But I, having found that he had done nothing worthy of death, and this [man] himself having appealed to Augustus, I have decided to send him;

26 I have nothing very definite, however, to tell our Sovereign about him. So I have brought the man before you all--and especially before you, King Agrippa--that after he has been examined I may find something which I can put into writing.

concerning whom I have nothing certain to write to my lord. Wherefore I have brought him before you, and specially before thee, king Agrippa, so that an examination having been gone into I may have something to write:

27 For, when sending a prisoner to Rome, it seems to me to be absurd not to state the charges against him."

for it seems to me senseless, sending a prisoner, not also to signify the charges against him.